diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4983640
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+gentestfiles: testdata/vector_columns.fits
+
+testdata/vector_columns.fits: filegen/vector_columns.py
+	python $< -o $@
diff --git a/filegen/vector_columns.py b/filegen/vector_columns.py
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..9a14e62
--- /dev/null
+++ b/filegen/vector_columns.py
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+
+"""
+Generate a file with vector columns, to validate https://github.com/simonrw/rust-fitsio/pull/330
+"""
+
+import argparse
+from pathlib import Path
+
+import numpy as np
+from astropy.io import fits
+
+
+def gen_file() -> fits.BinTableHDU:
+    # https://docs.astropy.org/en/stable/io/fits/index.html#creating-a-new-table-file
+    a1 = np.array(["NGC1001", "NGC1002", "NGC1003"])
+    a2 = np.array([11.1, 12.3, 15.2])
+    a3 = np.array([[1, 2], [3, 4], [5, 6]])
+    col1 = fits.Column(name="target", format="20A", array=a1)
+    col2 = fits.Column(name="V_mag", format="E", array=a2)
+    col3 = fits.Column(name="index", format="2K", array=a3)
+    cols = fits.ColDefs([col1, col2, col3])
+    hdu = fits.BinTableHDU.from_columns(cols, name="info")
+    return hdu
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()
+    parser.add_argument("-o", "--output", required=True, type=Path)
+    args = parser.parse_args()
+
+    file = gen_file()
+    file.writeto(str(args.output), overwrite=True)
diff --git a/fitsio/tests/test_vector_datatypes.rs b/fitsio/tests/test_vector_datatypes.rs
index f612575..b4e2fde 100644
--- a/fitsio/tests/test_vector_datatypes.rs
+++ b/fitsio/tests/test_vector_datatypes.rs
@@ -110,3 +110,16 @@ make_test!(
     ColumnDataType::Double,
     3.1415926535879323
 );
+
+// integration test using file generated by `filegen/vector_columns.py`
+#[test]
+fn read_vector_data_from_example_file() {
+    let mut f = FitsFile::open("../testdata/vector_columns.fits").unwrap();
+    let table = f.hdu("info").unwrap();
+
+    let string_data: Vec<String> = table.read_col(&mut f, "target").unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(string_data, &["NGC1001", "NGC1002", "NGC1003"]);
+
+    let vector_data: Vec<i32> = table.read_col(&mut f, "index").unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(vector_data, &[1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]);
+}
diff --git a/flake.nix b/flake.nix
index caabaf3..17b4851 100644
--- a/flake.nix
+++ b/flake.nix
@@ -10,6 +10,12 @@
     flake-utils.lib.eachDefaultSystem (system:
       let
         pkgs = nixpkgs.legacyPackages.${system};
+
+        test-python = pkgs.python3.withPackages (ps: with ps; [
+          numpy
+          astropy
+          ipython
+        ]);
       in
       {
         devShells.default = pkgs.mkShell rec {
@@ -23,7 +29,8 @@
             pkgs.cargo-nextest
             pkgs.bacon
             # for bin/test
-            pkgs.python3
+            # test-python
+            test-python
           ] ++ pkgs.lib.optionals pkgs.stdenv.isLinux [
             pkgs.cargo-tarpaulin
           ];
diff --git a/testdata/vector_columns.fits b/testdata/vector_columns.fits
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..587cb46
Binary files /dev/null and b/testdata/vector_columns.fits differ